Are you sure Tunnock’s and not Lees?

Thanks folks that’s great!

Maybe Scotroutes, but we have a responsibility not to cause excessive erosion.

Some of it is on my local patch and there are some nice off road bits now. If you were to do it from west to east you would have a nice descent from Ben Bowie down the recently completed Killoeter Escarpment path and on down the Stoney Mollan into Balloch. This section is shared with the Three Lochs Way and it’s described on their website. I don’t know much about the rest of the JMW.

I can’t imagine the JMW being anything like as technical as the WHW. Good call on the Drunkie route for RRW. The bit past the Menteiths Hills is great in the dry but it’s been wet and there’s been forestry work churning up bits too in recent years.

When I was about 12 I was turning right on my BMX but cut right infront of a Volvo which hit me hard. I was sprawled on the bonnet looking through the window at the rather alarmed face of the old lady driver.

I was completely unhurt and what’s more my trusty Raleigh Burner was perched up on the front of the Volvo with the pedal smashed through the radiator grill. We apologised to each other and I retrieved my bike and continued my ride to school.

I got a singlsepeed specific chainring from the Onone website. don’t know if they still do them. It has lasted well. The only other thing I would add is that I wouldn’t bother with sliding dropouts again for tensioning the chain. Mine was such a faff and chain tension was hard to manage which caused increased wear to the drive train.

Thanks to those who answered the question instead of making judgement!

I once saw someone on here ask the question: ‘what’s the most annoying thing about mountain biking’ and someone said ‘other mountain bikers’ which i agree with at times. I enjoy doing most of my rides alone but also enjoy the social aspect of riding with others. I ride with a group that has very many members and enjoy meeting new characters.

I think I enjoy riding alone because I can go at my own pace and just do my own thing. Some of my friends seem to treat it as some kind of competition.

Axle design

I’m sure I’m doing it up right. I have checked the hubs for movement with the wheel off the bike and they seem to be fine then when I put the wheel back on and do up the axle I can feel with my fingers where the movement is. The axle obviously isn’t fitting tightly through the hub at the handle end of the axle. There is a small gap either due to an imperfection of the hub or the axle itself. Maybe it’s possible to switch the hub cups round to see if the problem is with one of them.

I used to get this problem with my Pike 20mm bolt through sometimes but that was because the rubber wedge thing wasn’t moving freely and expending the axle inside.

Any ideas? I’m hoping to go cycling on it soon.

Thanks folks. It’s interesting to hear about the sizing because it has concerned me. Technically I should be on a slightly larger frame but the Bizango I tried felt good despite the swept back bars (It’s an inch longer in the TT than other 20″ inch bikes I’ve owned too). I suppose I can always swap the bars tweak the stem length and move the seat back on it’s rails a bit.

What is that bike alandavidpetrie79?

Thanks for the feedback guys. What I would be really interested to hear is what size frame have other people of my height and build opted for? The 19″ Cube felt a little small and I suspect the 19″ Solaris may be too. I went and measured up a Voodoo Bizango 20″ frame today which is 2cm longer in the top tube than the Cube but struggling to find any info on the geometry.

I don’t have my heart set on steel but I definitely want a 29er

Full build. I saw the cooker on a few sites. I like steel but not sure if it’s so important with a 29er due to the bigger wheels. I see a few aluminium bikes getting good reviews but I get sore wrists and fingers from the vibration if the surface is rough. I’ll test ride some more bikes but a few pointers would be appreciated.

Yep just hardtails.

Isn’t it the poles that determine the length? I suppose I could attach the poles or even the whole thing to the top tube?

Thanks folks! It’s a Ragley Blue Pig!

Anyone?

OK ta.

Anyone?

Thanks guys.

Thanks for your help folks.

Crikey: You’re fighting a losing battle here. Anyone who cycles knows some saddles are comfier than others and everyone has their own favourites because we’re all built differently.

Thanks.

I was once feeding a large branch into a big tractor mounted chipping machine and the branch got caught in my clothing and started pulling me in. Luckily I had the presence of mind to push the emergency stop lever before i got minced by the thing. Nearly messed meself.

If it’s really minging I might hose it down otherwise it just goes in the shed. I don’t like faffing with my bike after a ride cos I can’t be bothered but I make sure it gets a clean after every couple of big rides. I put a bit of shampoo in warm water as I reckon it’s probably gentler then regular detergent. The chain gets a good clean with the muck off tool which works great, also squirt a bit on the cogs (being careful not to get any in the bearings) then scrub and rinse off. Chain gets re oiled once dry. Bit of chain oil on stanchions now and then to draw out dust and grit then wipe off.

I would recommend it. It’s great having something lightweight that requires minimum fuss and maintenance. I built one for commuting and doing local xc type trails and have ended up riding it most of the time. I’ve gone for an easy gearing (32:20 I think it is, so I can get up the steep hills round here) and I still get all the chicks. Just don’t let me see you with one on my patch.

Thanks that’s just what I needed. Thought it must be on the site there somewhere.

?

So no problems with the X2’s overheating then? I’m planning to do some big descents this year like Ben Lomond for example.

Thanks for the suggestions folks. I could go for Shimano but I have a load of oil for the Hopes and some spares. Apparently the Hopes have better feel too?

That chart was interesting reading Smatkins thanks. What do you guys with the X2’s weigh as it looks like they’re a lot less powerful than the M4’s. I’m about 13.5 stones.

Thanks for that 🙂 My bike would look a bit daft with a Hope front brake and a Shimano back brake now wouldn’t it? 😕

OK thanks. Is the race lever narrower or shorter or both? I found the ones on my M4’s a bit too square edged if anything compared to Juicy’s for example.

i don’t think the jockey wheel should come into contact with the cassette even with a bizarre gear combination. I hope you get it fixed up ok.

Mmm they look nice. It would kind of match my front brake too. I find the levers a bit chunky on the Hopes.

I used to get a similar problem but I had tight spots on the chain too. I eventually narrowed it down to a faulty rear sprocket. It was slightly elliptical. I found the chain tugs system to be fiddly and annoying so I switched dropouts and use a conventional tensioner and have had no problems since.

I doubt it’s worn already. Try checking everything is how it should be. Maybe it’s just stretched a little and needs shortening.

OK I’ll certainly look at getting some good quality under shorts as I think the cheapo ones I have are ‘pants’. The Charge Spoon gets mentioned a lot too, I’ll have to try that out.

Had a Bell Air before and didn’t like it. I’m not a bad rider really but I’m going to be riding 95 miles of technical terrain on a hardtail and much of this time I will be seated. I’ve done multiple days before and been quite uncomfortable.

I’m using a padded under short but I don’t think they’re amazing quality. I tried a mates saddle the other day and I’ve just been informed that it was a wtb sst so I’ll give that another go it felt dead comfy. I’ll look in to getting one of the ointments too, thanks.

scotroutes – Member

Haha yea that track up out of Kinlochleven is a killer I don’t think I’ll be cycling that on my single speed!

Maybe I just haven’t found the right saddle yet. Are the Endura and Nike shorts quite a close fit? I hate baggy ones that catch on the back of the saddle.

OK thanks. What shorts can you recommend? I don’t really have a problem with chaffing it’s more just having to sit on a hard saddle for hours.